Saving Ealdor (and Merlin)
by nerdistry101
Summary: When Arthur followed Morgana, Gwen, and Merlin to Ealdor, the last thing he expected was to walk in on Merlin and Will kissing in a barn. In which gay relationships were outlawed when Uther freaked out about Arthur possibly not having an heir after Ygraine dies and Arthur realizes that he doesn't like Merlin kissing Will, and not because it's illegal.


Merlin was fully immersed in the feeling of Will's tongue sliding against his own. He would be the first to admit that he had missed being close to someone like this, but his and Will's time was over. A very high pitched manly squeak had them pulling apart quickly. Arthur was staring at them with his mouth agape. He snapped it closed quickly before muttering something about weapons, turning on his heal, and striding out of the barn. Merlin scrambled out of Will's grasp and went to run after him, but Will grasped his forearm tight.

"What you have to run after your new boytoy to make sure his feelings aren't hurt?" Will sneered. Merlin wrenched his arm away.

"Will, this is illegal in Camelot!" He hissed. "I might as well have performed magic on him!" Will stepped back.

"Are you serious?" Will asked.

"Completely. Now I really should go find him before I end up on the bloody pyre." Merlin jogged out of the barn. Will sauntered after.

Merlin found Arthur teaching a group of men sword skills. Morgana and Gwen were watching him from Merlin's child hood home. Merlin detoured toward them, knowing now would not be the time to speak with Arthur. Morgana eyed him sharply as he trudged down the road. Will was still following with a smirk. Morgana matched his smirk.

"I was wondering what drastically changed Arthur's mood. Gwen owes me a new dress." Morgana smirked as Merlin came up to them. Gwen blushed.

"You bet on whether Arthur's mood change was because Merlin and I were kissing?" Will asked. Gwen flushed even harder. Morgana just smiled.

"And the next one is whether he's upset because his manservant likes men, or because it's not the man he wants him to like." Merlin choked.

"Mor _gana!_ Arthur is the crowned prince of Camelot!" Merlin hissed.

"That doesn't stop him from staring at your backside," Gwen said. As soon as the words were out of her mouth she turned bright red. Morgana and Will both howled with laughter, while Merlin matched Gwen's blush.

"On a serious note, why exactly is it illegal in Camelot? It's not is Essetir." Will asked. Morgana sighed.

"It used to be one of those laws that were there forever, but no one followed because it was so outdated. When Uther started the purge, he began rounding up not just magic users." Morgana explained. Her smirk had become disdainful.

"But why?" Will asked. Morgana smiled then.

"Well there was this one little boy who you to come with one of the knights to meet with Uther. Arthur took a particular liking to him. I don't remember much, I was in lessons often, just that he was darling. Uther was already going insane. He couldn't imagine Arthur not having an heir." She said. "It's sad and adorable at the same time."

"I always was a cute kid." Merlin sighed wistfully.

"Then your ears hit their own growth spurt." Will snorted. Morgana and Gwen gaped at him.

"You!" Morgana screeched. The men training all turned to them. Merlin blushed.

"Yes, me. I used to go with Will's father." He explained.

"Why didn't you go, Will?" Gwen asked.

"I didn't have any inclination to go to Camelot. I'm perfectly happy, right here." Will huffed.

"I guess I am too, now. Can't very well go back to Camelot and get executed now can i?" Merlin asked.

"Look at you. You're two for two on treason Merlin." Morgana snorted, before freezing. Will and Merlin gaped at her, while Gwen just looked confused.

"I didn't mean to say anything! Let's just forget I said anything." Morgana stuttered.

"You know!" Will exclaimed. Morgana blushed.

"It wasn't particularly hard to figure out. Merlin isn't a trained warrior. There is no other way for him to save Arthur's life so many times." Morgana sniffed.

"Oh my goddess." Merlin breathed.

"I missed something." Gwen stated. Will sidled up to her.

"Merlin's a powerful warlock." Will whispered. Gwen squeaked.

"But, we shall never speak of it again." Morgana urged. "Nor how often Merlin has his tongue down bloke's throats." She snickered. Merlin elbowed her.

"I don't think it would be wise for me to proposition anyone in Camelot." Merlin snorted.

"Nor is it wise to use your gifts. Doesn't mean you don't." She smirked.

"Tournaments bring all sorts of people to Camelot." Merlin smirked. Morgana cackled. Will and Gwen both looked a little uncomfortable. No one saw Arthur stalking over to them.

"What kind of people are in Camelot?" He asked, hearing the tail end of Merlin's statement. All four of them jumped.

"People." Merlin said. Arthur rolled his eyes.

"The kind of people that stick their tongue's down Merlin's throat." Morgana explained. Merlin and Will both snorted. Morgana raised an eyebrow at them.

"Merlin's more of the type stick his own tongue down someone else's throat." Will explained. Merlin groaned and flushed.

"What Merlin, is this conversation too revealing for you?" Gwen giggled.

"Very much so." Merlin said. Morgana patted his arm.

"We could talk about Sir Leon's tongue if that would make you more comfortable." Morgana smiled.

"Mor _gana_!" Arthur hissed.

"Leon, really?" Merlin asked, impressed. Morgana just smiled.

"Maybe Gwen could tell us about Lancelot's then," Merlin joked.

"Then Will could tell us about Merlin's," Gwen smirked. Merlin's smile dropped. Will snorted. He tried to hide it when Merlin glared at him. Arthur sighed.

"Why did I agree to this?" He asked himself. Morgana smirked at him.

"I could think of a couple reasons. But enough about Merlin snogging all the men in Camelot. How are the men shaping up?" Morgana asked. While Arthur was answering, Merlin slipped into the house with Will on his tail.

"I can't believe that just happened." Merlin sighed.

"What happened, dear?" Hunith was mending a dress in the house.

"Prince Prat walked in on us kissing and got upset. Morgana and Gwen have a bet about _why_ he got upset. Whether or not because it's illegal, or Arthur wants to snog him. The Lady Morgana has apparently always been aware of Merlin's gifts." Will explained. He collapsed into the chair next to Hunith. Merlin smiled softly. This could have been his life. Growing old married to Will with his mother at his side. Hunith turned to her son, who just shrugged.

"I'm honestly at a loss." Merlin explained. Morgana and Gwen entered the house.

"Lady Morgana," Hunith stood quickly. Morgana grasped her hands.

"Do not worry, Hunith. Merlin's secret is always safe with me." Morgana winked. "Both of them." Hunith sighed and nodded.

"By the way, Arthur wants to see you, Merlin." Morgana smirked. Merlin paled, but quickly left the house.

"Do you think they want to kiss each other, or does Arthur just want to kiss Merlin?" Gwen asked. Hunith and Will made eye contact before they both smiled.

"Definitely both." Will smirked.

Merlin found Arthur at the outskirts of the town, practically hidden in the woods. He took a deep breath and approached the prince.

"Arthur," Merlin said. Arthur was examining a log, purposefully avoiding Merlin's gaze. After a few minutes, Merlin walked closer. "Arthur?" He asked. Arthur turned to him suddenly, locking his gaze.

"Merlin. I'm aware of many of the backwards laws in Camelot and want you to know that no one will have to know about some of the things I might have seen." Arthur huffed.

"Why?" Merlin blurted. Arthur blushed.

"Walking in on Morgana snogging her previous ladies made somewhat broadens the mind." Arthur stated. Merlin grinned.

"See I would have thought it was that time when I was visiting the castle as a child and you kissed me behind the tapestry, Artie." Merlin smirked. Arthur gasped. His jaw dropped and his eyes bulged.

"You visited the castle with that knight of Essetir!" Arthur flushed. Merlin nodded.

"That was Will's father. Mother told me stories of Camelot so I always jumped at the chance to go with him." Merlin said. "I honestly didn't remember until a letter mother sent me about remembering it." Arthur's lips flapped like a fish. Opening and closing. He finally clenched his jaw and his eyes became determined. He grasped Merlin's shoulders and pulled him forward into a kiss.

Merlin froze as Arthur's lips connected with his. It took him a second to process what was happening before responding eagerly. Arthur groaned as Merlin slipped his tongue into his mouth and began mapping the planes. Merlin was the first to pull away.

"I told you I could kiss you better." Arthur huffed. Merlin threw his head back and laughed. Arthur schooled his features. "This is definitely one of those things we will never talk about, as well as those special _gifts_ you possess." Arthur glared at him, but it held no heat. Merlin's blood drained. Arthur smirked and turned back toward the village. "Don't get too comfortable here. Who would help me save Camelot if you stayed here?" Arthur called.

Merlin stayed frozen in the woods for almost half an hour before Morgana and Will found him.

"So, are you to be burned at the stake?" Will joked. Merlin shook his head.

"Apparently Morgana has already gotten Arthur used to one of my crimes." Merlin explained. Morgana blushed.

"Just an experiment," she shrugged.

"Also, Gwen owes you another dress Morgana." Morgana's jaw dropped.

"He kissed you?" She asked. Merlin shrugged.

"Wasn't the first time. Probably gonna be the last." Merlin sighed. "On another note, I now have the King's ward _and_ the crown prince of Camelot covering for a sorcerer of their own volition." Merlin half whispered. Both Morgana and Will's jaws dropped. Morgana recovered first.

"Don't count on that kiss being the last if he's willing to cover your treasonous ass." She smirked.


End file.
